Nov. 19, 2009

UCLA Men's Volleyball Coach Al Scates announced Wednesday the signing of five players to National Letters of Intent. All are expected to enroll at UCLA in the Fall of 2010.

The group includes four players from Southern California and one from New York. Signing with UCLA within the last seven days were: Michael Beals (Mira Costa HS, Manhattan Beach, CA), Jackson Belcher (Palos Verdes HS, Rolling Hills Estates, CA), Robert Page (Victor HS, Rochester, NY), Kendall Partie (La Costa Canyon HS, Encinitas, CA) and Spencer Rowe (Mission Viejo HS, Trabuco Canyon, CA).

"We have filled all of our needs for the future by signing this group of student-athletes," said Scates. "It is a talented and competitive group of young men, and they are all outstanding students."

Beals, a 6-7 setter, has played for the Southern California Volleyball Club, which finished fourth in the Open Division of the 2009 Jr. Olympics and fifth in 2008. As a junior last season, Beals earned a varsity letter on the Mustangs' baseball team as a starting pitcher. A solid student, he is a member of the California Scholarship Federation and a three-year selection to the Principal's Honor Roll. He was also named a three-time Scholar-Athlete at Mira Costa.

Belcher is a 6-9 left-handed opposite/setter, who led Palos Verdes HS to a 21-7 record in 2009. As the starting opposite on the Southern California Volleyball Club last season, he led SCVC to the DINX Tournament title as well as a fourth place finish in the U-17 Division of the Jr. Olympics. An accomplished beach player, Belcher won the 2009 CBVA Manhattan Beach/Rosecrans Beach Tournament and finished second in the Manhattan Beach Men's B Tournament. He has also played center for the Sea Kings' basketball team for the last two seasons. Also a member of the CSF, he has received several medals for community service. Belcher's sister Jenna is a starting junior defender on the Bruins' nationally ranked women's soccer team.

Page, a 7-0 outside hitter/setter, earned All-Greater Rochester 1st Team and 2nd team all-league honors in 2008 at Victor HS. He led the Blue Devils to the 2008 NYS Section V Championship. On the beach, he won the 2009 U-18 East Coast Open and placed fifth in the USA Jr. Tour Beach Championship.

Partie is a 6-4 setter who has led La Costa Canyon HS to consecutive league titles and CIF championships. Last season the Mavericks also finished third in the State Championship. Over the summer, he won three CBVA tournaments. In the classroom, Partie boasts a 4.23 cumulative GPA. He is the son of UCLA Hall of Famer and Olympic gold medalist Doug Partie.

Spencer Rowe, a member of the USA Youth National Team that traveled to Italy this summer, helped lead Mission Viejo HS to the second round of the CIF playoffs in two of the last the past three seasons. A 6-7 outside hitter/middle blocker, Rowe is a three-time All-South Coast League selection and a veteran member of the Orange Coast Volleyball Club, which has won bronze medals in two of the last three Junior Olympics. Ranked in the Top 20 academically in a MVHS senior class of more than 700, Rowe boasts a cumulative GPA of better than 4.5, while earning numerous academic awards and honors.

In other news...
UCLA will host the annual SAC Tournament, Nov. 20-21 at the Student Activities Center (formerly the Men's Gym). Participating teams include UCLA, Cal Baptist, UC Santa Barbara and CS Northridge. At 4 p.m. on Fri., Nov. 20, UCLA meets Cal Baptist and UC Santa Barbara tangles with CS Northridge. On Sat., Nov. 21 at 10 a.m., the Bruins host UCSB and CS Northridge plays Cal Baptist. At 3 p.m. on Saturday, UCLA meets CS Northridge and Cal Baptist battles UCSB. Admission is free.